Dowel-making machine



G. W. DAVIS.

DOWIL` MAKING MACHINE. APPLICAHON HLED MAR.1,1920

l 5,42?, 07 3, Patented Aug. 22, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

ATTORNEYS G.V W. DAVIS.

DOWEL MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MARl l. 1920,-

L''; Patented Aug. 22, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

/JTTURIVEYS G. W. DAVIS.

DOWEL MAKlNG MACHINE. APPLICATION FlLED MAR. 1, 1920.

l A272307 3 Patented Aug. 22, 1922,

s SHEETS-SHEET 3.

mmf/wok Dewar-MAKING' MACHINE.

inerme.

Specification of Letters Patent.A

Patented Aug. 22, .1922,

Application led March 1, 1920. Seria1-No. 362,323.

To all @0.7mm t may concern Be it .known that l, GEORGE l/V. Davis, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Putney, county of Vindhain, and State of Vermont, have invented a new and linproved Dowel-li/lakingj vi/lachine, oi vwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description.` l f This invention relates to means for forming circular roos or dowels, and .hasv reference more particularly to a machine adapted for forming circular wooden dowels from stock which is square or irregular .in cross section.

rin object of this invention is to provide a dowel making machine which is simple in construction.

Another objectof this invention is to provide a dowel makingmachine in which the stock is always exactly centered while engaging the cutting head.

A further object of this invention is to provide `a dowelmaking machine so constructed that in case of breakage of' stock in the cutting head, said stock may be easily removed.

A still further object of the invention is to. provide a dowel making machine in which the `machine can` be reversed vso that the stock is Withdrawn after partly entering thek-nives.

A still further object of this invention is to provide cutting knives held in the support in such a iuanner that they'may be resharpened repeatedly and can be used in the machine until they are completely worn out. z

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of. this specitication in which it is understood that the drawing illustrates only one example ro'* the invention, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the dowel making machine,

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2 2 ot Figure l, said section being on an enlarged scale.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3--3 of Figure 1.

a large scale of vone of the cutting knives attached to the cutting head. `i

Figure 7 is a fragmentary end view'of the knife shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a central section View through the cutting head.

Figure 9 is a perspective view, and Figure 10 is a sectional View of the stock guide. .Referring to the accompanying drawing by numerals, 10 indicates thema-in frame of the machine which is preferably in the form of a square box open at both ends, and provided at its lower end with a base 11. Ain L-shaped standard is composed of a .horizontal leg 12 which extends across opposite sides yof the top of the box 10, and isA fastened thereto by means of bolts 13, and a vert-ical leg 14 which is semi-circular at the top so as to receive a second semi.- circular member 15 having flanges 16v fastened to the leg 1i by means of bolts 17 so as to form a split bearing in which is rotatably `mounted the axle of a `cutting' lhead to be hereinafter described.

This cutting head is composed of a circular face plate. 18 ron which is radially fastened by means of bolts 19 a plurality` of knife supports 20, said knife supports Abeing preferably four in number. Each knife support is preferably substantially rectangular in crosssect-ion, and is provided on one ofthe faces perpendicular to the face plate 18, with an oblique longitudinal `slot 21 formi-ng a shoulder '22 which receives one side cfa knife 23, said knife being held securely in position in said'slot -21 by means of a `plate 24 :fastened to said support 2O by means of the bolts 19, saidplate 24 having a flange 26 which co-operates with the shoulder 22 in clamping said knife securely in position. Thus each knife is positioned radially with respect to the face plate 18, and in a plane slightly at an angle to thelplane of said tace plate, and each knife is provided with an inner cutting edge 23a. A pulley 27 is formed on the surface of the face `plate 18 opposite the knives 23, which is adapted to receive a belt 28 connected to any suitable power means not shown, which will cause the rotation of said face plate. A circular hole 29 passes. co-aXially through the face plate '1S and the pulley 27, and is adapted l'to receive a -tube 30 which is providedton one end with an annular `integral -shoulder 31.

The end of the tube 30 opposite the shoulder 31 yis adapted to be received in the split bearing formed by the leg 14 and the semicircular member 15, and is rigidly secured in said split bearing by means'of a bolt 32 v which passes through the semi-circular memdesirable that the sleeve 34 can be quickly lcan be removed.

.removed in case the dowel pin 35 breaks and jams tight` in said sleeve, and for this purpose the-` sleeve 34 is split diametrically along a considerable portion of its length, and it is then cut at right angles to the axis of said sleeve in such a way that a semicircular member 36 is lformed which is provided with a tongue 37 engaging a similarly shaped groove 38 in the sleeve 34. This semicircular member 36 is heldin place securely with the tongue 37 engaging the groove 38, by means of the bolt 32, which, after passing through the tube 30, engages a longitudinal slot 39 in said semicircular member. .Thus by unscrewing the bolts 17 and 32, the end of said bolt 32 will be disengaged from the slot 39, and upon lifting the member 15 and the semicircular member 34 out-of position, the broken dowel pin 4The knives 23 are so clamped by means of the plates 24 that their cutting edges 27 will be at different radial distances from the center of the dowel pin as said Apin is fed through the sleeve 34, (see Fig. 5) so that each knife will take a new cut from the dowel pin stock as the cutting. head is rotated. v

In order to feed the rough stock into the knives23 as said knives are rotated by the cutting head, feed wheels 4() 'and 41 are provided adjacent said knives, so that'they will be rotated in opposite directions, and with their p'eripheries in contact by a mechanism to be hereinafter described. It should be understood that in the subsequent description of the mechanism connected with the feed wheels 40 and 41, that similar feed wheels v*40u and 41a are provided to receive the dowel pin 35 after it has been properly I cut by the knives 23, and that the mechanism for operating the wheels 40a and 41 is identical to and similarly positioned as the operating mechanism for the feed wheels 40'` and 41. However, the feed wheels 40a and 41a are provided with an annular semicircular "groove 42*L instead of `a V-shaped annular groove 42 in each of the Vfeed wheels 40'and 41. The grooves 42, register and are adapted to receive the corners of a rough piece of stock 43. These wheels 40 and 41 are rigidly secured on shafts 44 and 45 respectively which are substantially vertical, and have fixed to them on each of their lower ends a helical gear 46, said gears being arranged in position on each side of a transverse horizontal shaft 47, on which is secured a suitable worm 48 which engages the teeth of the helical gears and rotates them in opposite directions.

lt is desirable to have the shafts 44 and 45 so journaled that the feed wheels 4() and 41 will ordinarily adjust themselves to the shape of the rough stock fed into the V- shaped notches 42, and for this purpose each shaft is provided with a 'vertically disposed bar 49, and each bar is provided at its lower end with a transverse flange 50 in which is journaled the lower end of each shaft adjacent the helical gears'46. A flange 51 is formed at the upper end of one of the bars 49, and a flange 51a is formed at the-upper end of the other of said bars 49. The flanges 51 and 51L form bearings for the upper ends of the shafts 44 and 45. each bar 49 is pivotally mounted to the inside surface of one Wall of thebox 10 by means of pin 52, so that the upper flanges 51 n and 518L of said bars 49 may be rocked inde- The lower end of -pendently about pins 52, so that the distance between the feed wheels 40 and 41 may be varied, thus allowing for irregularities in the size of the rough stock 43. y In order to hold the wheels 40 and 41 together resiliently so that they may spread apart when it is necessary to take alarger size piece of stockv 43, the upper flanges 51 and 5l:L of the bars 49 are enclosed by a frame 53 which is substantially rectangular in shape, and is also guided as it moves when the bars 49 are rocked, by l means of a vertical flange 54 formed on the upper end of one side of the box 10. A set screw 55 isv screwed through one side of the frame 53 and engages a slot 56 formed in the flange 51. An adjusting screw 57 passes through the opposite side of the frame 53 and is provided on its inner end with a shoulder 58 which supports a spring 59, the inner end of said spring,being set in an inner recess 60 formed in the flanges 51a. This spring 59 is continuously in compression and serves to press the two feed wheels 4() and 41 together so that sufiicient traction is obtained with the rough stock 43 to feed it into the knives 23 as the shafts 44 and 45 arerotated, and the compression in said spring may be adjusted by means of a hand wheel 61 fixed to the outer end of the adjusting wheels 40 and l41 separated an equal distance from the axis of said rough stock 43 when irregularities occur in the size of said rough stock. In order to accomplish these results, an arm 62 is pivoted at one end by means of a bolt 63 to one wall of the box 10 between the shafts 44 and 45. vThe end of the arm 62 opposite the bolt 63 is formed into a bearing 64 in which is secured a shaft 65 by means of a radial pin 66, said shaft passing through a wall of the box 10 and having rotatably mounted on the inside of said box, a disc 67. In order to allow the arm 62 to rock about the pivot 63, an arcuate slot 68 is provided in the wall of the box 10 so as to give play to the shaft 65 in said slot. In order to adjust the shaft 65 in any desired position in the slot 68, a bolt 69 passes through the arm 62 between the pivot 63 and the bearing 64, and said bolt also passes lthrough an arcuate slot 70 the wall of the box 10. Vhen the shaft 65 has been placed in its desired position, in the slot' 68, the nut on the bolt 69 is tightened so that the arm v62 is clamped tightly against the outside face of the side of the box 10, thus holding said arm securely in the adjusted position. The end of each of a pair of links 71 is pivoted diametrically opposite yon the disc 67 by means of pins 72, and the otherI end of each link is pivoted to one of the bars 49 by means of Ia pin 73. Thus thewheels 40 and 41 are adjusted by loosening the nut of the bolt 69 and swinging the arm 62 about,

the pivot 63 until the rough stock is fed into the knives 23, so as to be coaxial with the face plate 18, yafter which the nut on the bolt 69 is tightened and by a similar proceeding the wheels 40a and 41a `are adjusted so that theypwill receive the yfinished dowel as it is delivered from the sleeve 34. When different sized stoc'k is fed into the wheels 40 and 41 said wheels will separate by rotating the disc 67 and the parallel links 71 will make sure that the wheels separate an equal distance from the axis of the rough stock, so that said rough stock will lstill be accurately centered with respect to the face plate 18 regardless of its size.

llt is desirable to have the direction of rotation of the wheels 40, 41, 40a and 413, reversible, so that in case the dowel 35 breaks and jams in the knives 23 or in the sleeve 34, that their rotation can be quickly reversed so as to withdraw the broken dowel from the machine. Forthis purpose a pair of pulleys 74 is mounted on the shaft 47 midway between the two worms 48. Each pulley is provided on one of its faces with a frusto-conical section 7 5,y each pulley 74 being soplaced Yon the shaft 47 lthat lthe frusto-conical sections 75 will be placed adjacent each other. The pulleys 74 are mounted on an enlarged section 76 of the shaft 47, and-a sleev'e77 `is also mounted upon this section 76 serving to space the two pulleys 74 apart. The pulleys 74 are pre vented from moving axially by means of a pair of 'collars 78 fixed to the section 76 adjacent the faces of the pulleysA 74 which are opposite the truste-conical sections 75. A key 79 passes through the sleeve 77 and the section of the shaft 76, so as to hold said sleeve 77 in position and also to engage keyways 80 in a collar 81 which is thus' slidably but not rotatably mounted upon the collar 77 between the frusto-conical sections 75. rllhe collar 81 has inner frusto-conical surfaces 82 which register with the frusto-conical sections 75, and form a friction clutch connecting the pulleys 74 and the shaft 44.

In order to move the collar 81 axially so as to engage one or the other of the pulleys 74, the collar 81 is provided withan annular groove 83 which is engaged by an annular shoulder 84 on a split collar 85 held together by means of bolts 86. One seniicircular member vof the split collar 85 is pivotally mounted to a shifting bar 87 by means of a bolt 88, and said bar extends transversely between the sides of the box 10 and is pivotally mounted at one end to a lug 89 formed on the inside of one side of the box 10 by means of a bolt 90. The end of the shifting bar 87 opposite the bolt 90 is sli'dably mounted in and extends through a horizontal slot 91 formed in the wall of the box 1'0 where it has a circular section 92 which is loosely journaled in a block 93, and issecured thereto by means of a nut 94, Vany suitable means may be provided to shift the block 93, horizontally, but preferably as shown a horizontal link is pivoted at eachl end to av shifting lever 96 by means of a bolt 97, .said levers being in turn pivoted on to `the outside of the box 101by means of bolts 9,8. The link 95 passes through a slot 99 in the block 93, and is clamped therein by means of bolts which press the two parts of the block formed by the slot, closely together against the link 95. In order to prevent axial movement of the shaft 47, safety collars 101 are provided inside the box 10 on' the shaft 47,*and safety collars 102 are provided on the vends of the shaft 47 outside the box 10, andthe ends of the shaft 47 are journaled in bushings 103 provided in the wallsof the rbox 10, said bushings being provided so that the section 76 of the shaft 47 can be 'assembled by moving said 'shaft 47 axially through the walls of the box 10.

Each of the vpulleys 74 should be rotated in opposite directions, and for this purpose a belt 105 leads from one of the pulleys 74 and passes over idlers 106 and '107 to a pulley 108 fixed to a power shaft 109 supported in any suitable lmanner such as by bearings 110. A. second rbelt 111 leads from the remaining pulley 74 overidlers 112 and 113, and after having its runs crossed, is

= bolt opposite the head 119.

placed in position on the pulley 108. Both. ie belts 105 and 111 pass through anopengin one side ot' the box 10,*and brackets 1 51 and 111iL have pivotallyy mounted on them, Aarms 105b and lll'nlwhich rotatably support the idlers 106, 107, 112, and 113, and said arms may be rocked about their pivot and may be secured in any adjusted .position by meansof bolts 105C and 111c which open ate iniarcuate slots 1051. Thus the tension in the belts may be adjusted so thatslipping ot the belts is reduced to a minimum. also the two belts 105 and 111 will be operated in opposite directions Yfrom the same pulley 108. i 1n order to guide the rough stock 43 into the il-shaped notches oi the teed wheels .40 and 41, anv arm 114 is fasteneljto .the outside of the box 10 by means of vbolts 115, and the upper end oit said 114 is proivided on its .inner suriace withl channel shapedv groove 116 and a slot 117 passes transversely through the arm 114 in the groove 1.16. A. bolt 118 passes through the Aslot 1.17 ot the arm 114 Iand said bolty is provided with a square head 119 which a nut 120 is screwed oii to the endet said at one end a recess 122 which receives the upper end of the arm 11.4 and through the arm 1211 the bolt 118 passes so as to position.

said arm 121 substantially at right angles to the arm 114, and the arm 121 is turned upwardly at its upper end and is 'formed into a il-shaped guide1123 which is so positioned that the rough stock 43 guided-exactly into the il-shaped grooves 42 in the 'feed wheels 40 and `41. A'

lnl order toy inspect the inside ot the. box 10, an opening- 124 is provided in one side ot saidboX and a door 125 is hinged iiiy said opening by means ot hinges v126. lBly opens ing this door 125, the haiidgniay ybe, inserted and adjustments made ot any off the interior mechanism. 4

1n operation the rough stock 43 is placed in the giiide'1234 and moved axially toward the feed wheels 40 and 41. until it is engagedy by said wheels and moved axially into the knives 23 which are being rapidly rotated by meansoia the belt 28. These knives cut oil' the corners ot the rough stock 43 as it passes through them, and the resulting dowel pin 35 then passes through the sleeve '34 and out between the delivery wheels 40a and 41=l which assist the iteed wheels 40 and 41 in moving the rough stock 43 axially through the knives. ln case ot breakage of the dowel as it passes through the sleeve 34, the semicirculai member is removed by unscrewing the bolts .17 and 32, thus allowing the removal of the broken dowel. The

tractionbetween the feed wheels 40 `and 41 An arm 121 has.

and the ldischarge rolls 40a and 41a is'ad- 'jiisted by the handle 61 of the adjusting screw 5? which increases or decreases the compression ot the spring 59. ,'1`he1eedA wheels 40L and 41` and the delivery wheels 40- andtlzL are rotated by means of the shafts y44 and 45.wliich. are `iournaled in the Ganges 50, 51, and 51a of the verticalbars 49. rEhe helicalgears onthe lowery endsot the shai'ts 44 and 45 engage the `worms 48 whichv are rotated by the shalt 44. Thebelts 105 andslll lead from the powerv shaft 109 and rotate each ot' the pulleys 7 4 in opposite directions -as said power shaft isrotated.

The ifi-fiction collar 81 between ythe pulleys 74 operated by means ot'y the vshitting leviers on the outsideot' the box 10 so that `when the friction collarv 81- engages one of the pulleys 7 4, the shafts 47,v 44,y and v45 willy Abe operatedlinjone direction while if the: levers 98 are' sl'iiifted .so that the friction .collar 81 (-iiigages the other ot saidl pulleys74the direction ot rotation .of the abovevmentioned shafts will be reversed so that the dowel 35 ywill'be withdrawn .in easeotbreakage. The wheels 40,41, 40a, and .41.ZL yare properly centered with Arespect tol the knives 23 by moi/,ing the arm 62 aboutthe pivot 63,V and then tightening the nut on the bolt 69 with the arm 6 2 .in the proper adjusted position.. wWhenthe wheels. 40, 41, 40, and 41a lspread apartv oi.' closed'togethei to vaccoinmodate: varying sizes oit stock, the discs' will rotate and the parallel links 71 `will move theafore.-

mentioned wheels an `equal distance,k `from. the axis o1' thestock, thus always maintain-y ing the stock properlycentered with respect 'to the knives l23.V l .A 'l

lk would state in conclusion that While the illustrated vexample constitutes. a1 practicaly embodiment of my invention, l' do vnotliniit iiiyseli strictly to the niechanicahdetails herein illustrated.. since manifestly the same can be `considerably varied `without `de-v parture.troni the spirit of the invention 'as defined in "the appended claims'.

Hiiiying thus described my invention, l

claim as new and vdesire to seciiire by Letters.

Patent: Y 1

1. in a doivel making machine, a plurality ot knives supported subS-stantially radially,v

means 'for rotating said knives, means tor 'feeding material in one direction between said knives as'they are rotated, said knives acting 'to torinthe material into a rod which is oii'culairin cross section, means for withdrawing the material. from said knives, re-

silient means for maintaining the material centrally located with respect to the knives, regardless oi' its size, and means, whereby a broken dowel may be quickly removed from said knives. i i y i 'Y 2. 1n a dowel making machine, a. face plate provided with akcentrally located hole, a plurality of knives supported substantially radially on said face plate, means for rotating said face plate, means for feeding material through said hole between the knives, said knives acting to form the material into a rod which is circular in cross section, and a sleeve loosely fitted in said hole, said sleeve having a removable section whereby to permit the removal of a broken dowel therefrom.

3. In a dowel making machine, a support, bars pivot-ally mounted at their lower ends on the support and having bearings at their ends, shafts mounted in the bearings of the bars and carrying feed rolls, means for operating the shafts, a. frame `surrounding the upper bearings of the shafts and having means engaging one of the bearings, an ad justing screw mounted in the frame, and a spring between the screu7 and the ot-her bearing.

L In a doWel making machine, a support, bars pivotally mounted at their lower ends on the frame and having bearings at their ends, the upper bearings being recessed, shafts mounted in the bearings and carrying feed rolls at their upper ends, means for operating the shafts, a frame surrounding the upper bearings, a screw mounted in the frame and engaging the recess of one bearing, a spring arranged in the recess of the other' bearing, and an adjusting screw mounted in the frame and engaging the spring.

5. In a doWel makingmachine, a frame, pivotally mounted bars in the frame, revoluble shafts mounted in the bars and carrying feed rolls, an adjustable rockable bearing a non-revoluble shaft carried by the bearing, and a member loosely mounted on the shaft, and links connecting the member With said bars.

6. In a dovvel making machine, a frame having a curved slot, bars pivotally mounted in the frame, revoluble shafts mounted in the bars and carrying feed rolls, a pivoted bearing on the frame, means for adjusting the bearing a shaft carried by the bearing and extending through the slot of the frame. a member loosely mounted on the shaft, and links connect-ing said member With the bars.

7. In a doWel making machine, a frame having curved slots, bars pivotally mounted in the frame, revoiuble shafts mounted in the bars, and carrying feed rolls, an arm pivoted to the frame, a bolt passing through the arm and one of the slots of the frame, a shaft carried by the free end of the arm and extending through the other slot of the frame, a. disk loosely mounted on the shaft, and links connecting the disk with the bars.

8. In a dovvel making machine, a revoluble cutter head feed rolls .on opposite sides of the cutter head, a. transverse shaft, means for operating the rolls from the shaft, spaced pulleys on the transverse shaft and each having a conical section, a collar mounted to slide but not to turn on the shaft and having a conical section at each end, a shifting bar pivoted at one end and secured to said collar, a sliding block with which the other end of the shifting bar is connected, pivoted levers, one at each end of the machine a link connecting the levers and secured to the sliding block, and means for operating the pulleys in opposite directions.

GEORGE WILLIAM DAVIS. 

